Agreed...and a sort of funny story...
I was in Paris for a few days in 1996. I had a night in a small hotel not 100 yards from the Arc de Triumph. The place had no balconies, but I could climb out my window onto the structural shelf that made up the awning over the entrance. I climbed out to take pics of the Arc and the surrounding neighborhood...it was a great view. I had a pretty extensive camera kit with me. Not 5 miutes after I went out I saw a hubbub involving several cops running towards the hotel...and my phone rang. I was called downstairs and met by 4 very unimpressed looking Paris cops. They were very professional but it was probably a good thing that I thought to bring my passport and all travel docs downstairs with me. I figured out pretty quick that they were making sure I wasn't some guy casing out possible attack targets; after all, they did have a problem with bombings some years earlier. I don't blame the authorities that feel it necessary to investigate otherwise innocent activities carried out by someone with a personal interest. I blame the terrorists for making this a perceived necessity.